Vacuum-wringer.



PATENTED JUNE '7, 1904.

' M. B.. cooLEY.

VACUUM `WRINGJJR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 11, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

mf f'NVENTO WITNESSES:

. 'Y BY www ' Unirse-STATES Patented J' une 7, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

fvAouUlvlewRiN-iER. f

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 781,878, dated June 7, 1904.

Application nai May 11,1903.

T tZZ whom t .may.Icoltcgzrn/rl l Beit known that I, MORTIMER E.` CooLEY, a citizen. of the United States, residing at Ann Arbor, in the county o f AVVashtenaw and State of Michigan, have invented-certain new.4 and useful *Improvements in Vacuum-Wringers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, suchaspwill enable others skilled inthe art to which it apperta-ins tomale and use the same.

material by spreading it ina thin layer, passing the layer through the machine, and subjecting it during its passage to the combined action of pressure and suction, The material is carried on a belt part way around a`re.

volving perforated cylinder in which is maintainedl a partial vacuum, and `the y, pressure is applied tothe baclrface of the-belt while the material is irl-contact with the cylinder.

In vthe accompanying drawings, illustrating the machine, Figure .1 isv avertical cross-section of the machine; -Fig, Zis a front elevation, broken away in part, and Fig. 3 is a rear elevation, broken away in part, showingl the machine with the belt removed.

The construction and operation of the machine are as follows. Y

The material to be dried is placed on lthe endless belt 1, moving in the direction indicated by arrows in Fig. 1, and is guided into the space 3 between the belt 1 and the cylinder 4:, which travels with the belt and at the same speed. A. constant pressure upon the material is maintained between'the belt 1 and the cylinder LLby means of rollers 5 on the back face of the belt. The rollers revolve in boxes 5, slidably mounted in slots 6 in the main frames 6 of the machine, and each is yieldingly held against the belt by a spring 5",

confined' between the end of the slot 6!L and the box 5f. The tension of the springs is ad- This is a machinefordrying peat or other serial No. 156,713.' No model.;

perforations 11 by the vacuum maintained iu the cylinder.

1 prefer to employ the followingmeans for maintainingthe vacuum in the cylinder. The cylinder has solid headslib mounted on the shaft 4f, which turns. in bearings. in the main frames,6and these. heads have each a projecting circular fiange 4b. That part of the circumference ofthe cylinder not in contact with thepeat issurrounded by a cylindrical casing 7, slightly larger in diameter than the cylinder t. The casing has inwardly-turned longitudinal flanges 7a and 7 b along its top and Vbottom edgesand .inwardly-turned circumferential flanges ,7C at each end. Air-tight joints are'made between the flanges 7n and7" and the walls of the cylinder .by any con- .Venientform ofpacking 8, andthe opening 9, Fig. 2, between the flangefif of the cylinder-head 4b and the flange 7 C ofthe casing is also made air-tight by yielding packing 10.

v The casing 7 has openings 7 f1, by which connection is made with any suitable meansfor exhausting air from the casing. Under the action of the partial vacuum in the easing the moisture and free air from the layer of peat is drawn through the perforations L? into the cylinder and thence out the opposite side of y the cylinder into the chamber 12 between the .casing and the cylinder, being finally drawn out of the casing through the openings 7 d. The stationary casing 7 is supported by grooved wheels 13, which roll on the flange 4b of the cylinder-head as the latter revolves. By this means the proper relative positions of the casing and the revolving cylinder are maintained, and the weight due to atmospheric pressure on the casing isl transmitted ythrough the wheels 13 and fianges 4b', thereby minimizing resistance to rotation of the cylinde'r.. The wheels 13 are mounted on shafts 13, turning in bearings 131 on the casing.

The belt 1 may be mounted on any suitable system of rollers, and it may be of any desired length. I have not illustrated the means for securing uniform speed between the belt and roller, as any suitable means, as gears or belts, may be employed for the purpose.

By the means above described I have pro- IOO duced a machine into which green peat or other material may be continuously fed and from which it is discharged in a partially-dry condition, the drying being effected by the combined action of pressure and suction.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. A machine for drying peat or other material comprising a revoluble hollow cylinder having circumferential perforations; a belt traveling in proximity to and around part of the circumference of said cylinder; and means for producing a partial vacuum within the cylinder, said means comprising an air-tight casing extending around that part of the circumference of the cylinder not in contactwith the material to be dried.

2. In a drier of the class described, a revoluble hollow perforated cylinder; means for pressing material to be dried against one part of said revoluble cylinder, and an air-tight casing extending around that part of the cylinder noty in contact with the material to be dried.

3. A. machine for drying peat or other materials comprising a revoluble hollow cylinder with circumferential perforations; an endless belt traveling part way around and in proximity to the cylinder; means for pressing the material between the belt and the cylinder, said means comprising rollers yieldingly held against the back face of the belt; and means for producing a partial vacuum within the cylinder, said means comprising a case extending around that part of the circumference of the cylinder not in contact with the material to be dried; air-tight joints between the edges of the casing and the cylinder; said casing having openings for removing water and air.

4. A peat-dryingv machine comprising in combination a revoluble hollow cylinder with perforated circumferential wall; an endless belt traveling part way around the circumference of the cylinder in proximity thereto; means for maintainingpartial vacu um within the cylinder, said means comprising a stationary casing extending around that part of the circumference of the cylinder not in contact with the material to be dried; air-tight joints between the edges of the casing and the cylinder; means for supporting the casing upon the revolving cylinder; said casing haring openings for removal of air.

5. In a machine for drying peat, by passing it in a thin layer part way around a cylinder having circumferential perfor-ations; means for maintaining' a partial vacuum within the cylinder, said means comprising a stationary casing extending around that part of the cylinder not in contact with the material to be dried; air-tight packings between the longitudinal edges of the casing and the circumference of the cylinder; outward circumferential flanges on the ends of the cylinder; packings to maintain air-tight joints between the ends of the casing and said flanges; and means for supporting the casing upon the revolving cylinder, comprising wheels revolubly mounted upon the casing, said wheels being adapted to roll on the circumferential ilanges of the cylinder ends.

6. In a drier of the class described having` a` stationary casing partly inclosing a revolving cylinder; means for supporting the casing ou the cylinder comprising outwardly-extending circumferential liangcs at the ends of the cylinder and wheels revolubly mounted upon the casing,'said wheels being adapted to roll on the circumferential flanges of the cylinder.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MORTIMER E. COOL'EY.

fitness es:

HARRISON SoULn, ALVA T. HILL. 

